USGS Fact Sheet 2008-3093, Western Mountain Initiative: Predicting Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change

Western Mountain Initiative: Predicting Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change

Abstract

Thumbnail of and link to report PDF (1.3 MB)

Mountain ecosystems of the western United States provide irreplaceable goods and services such as water, timber, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities, but their responses to climatic changes are complex and not well understood. The Western Mountain Initiative (WMI), a collaboration between USGS and U.S. Forest Service scientists, catalyzes assessment and synthesis of the effects of disturbance and climate change across western mountain areas, focusing on national parks and surrounding national forests. The WMI takes an ecosystem approach to science, integrating research across science disciplines at scales ranging from field studies to global trends.

Version 1.0

Posted November 2008

Fact Sheet PDF (1.3 MB)

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Suggested citation:

Baron, J.S., Peterson, D.L., and Wilson, J.T., 2008, Western Mountain Initiative—Predicting Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2008-3093, 2 p.